Once Upon A Castle
by 3detectives1writer
Summary: When Castle and Beckett catch an odd case, Castle finds a story book that leads them to Storybrooke. Set in Season 3 Castle and Season 4 of OUAT.
1. The Joys of Work

**A/N: **As promised, this is the first story my lovely sister requested. This will be a crossover fic, but I won't change it until it actually crosses over. I like keeping you guys in suspense after all. This chapter is pretty short and doesn't give much away, but it's a start. I'm not to sure about this one, but I hope it's okay. This is set in season 3 somewhere before the shooting and after the first few episodes. Anyway enjoy the chapter, and I'll try to update soon!

**Chapter 1**

The familiar buzz of energy floated through the precinct, business as usual. In reality, it was a slow day for Detective Kate Beckett, only a mountain of paperwork to keep her occupied. Detectives Ryan and Esposito were busy procrastinating and socializing, but she didn't mind so much as long as they got their work done.

Her usual companion was not there to annoy her today. After all, Richard Castle did have a real job and obligations to fulfill. He bombarded her with texts during his breaks ranging from stupidly funny videos to reminders that she can call him away for a case.

Because of this, the day wasn't so bad. She did miss him making coffee for her, only because it tasted better. Not because it was their thing and always made her smile. Definitely only for the taste.

Anyway, she continued to work at shrinking the pile, her pen scratching her signature in the appropriate place. Her eyebrows were knitted in concentration as she scanned the document, brushing a strand of her brown locks behind her ear. She wasn't sneaking the occasional glances at her phone at all. She definitely didn't stare at his usual chair either.

She missed him. There, she admitted it. Despite him driving her crazy, she enjoyed his company and valued his input. In this case, he would normally make paperwork more bearable.

She won't call him. She's done paperwork before without him, for many years in fact. She can handle it and spend the evening with a good book, hot bath, and a nice glass of wine.

She politely reminded Ryposito about the paperwork yet to be done and interrupted their lively debate over video games. They grumbled and continued their discussion while working. Returning to the task in front of her with a sigh, Kate continued her mundane work, waiting for a murder to pull her away.

"Thanks for coming out," Richard Castle said, flashing a dazzling smile that caused the woman in front of him to giggle and blush before walking off. This, as well as other similar lines, has been a repeated mantra for him the past few others. Always the same smile, same charm, and same women to impress. To be fair, there were some fans who actually came for his books, and for them it wasn't really an act, but most of them were shallow and only cared for gaining the attention of the attractive author. Which would then lead to an invitation to his bed.

He used to love these book signings. He loved the attention and being able to meet his fans and see that his works have impacted people. The latter remained unchanged, but he hated how these events became so predictable. It was always the same long hours, the same fake persona, the same people.

That's why he was glad Kate Beckett crashed his party. She was something new in his repetitive life, and working with her was way more fun. He loved bonding with his precinct family, a place where he truly felt important and that he belonged.

And Beckett...well there was something there. They were friends, maybe even best friends. He did like her which was why he had asked her to the Hamptons last summer. But Demming had been there leading to a summer spent with his ex wife. That did nothing to obliterate his feelings for her; it merely tucked them away to be dealt with later.

Speaking of his ex wife, she was currently glaring at him. Oh, right, the signing. He flashed another dazzling smile as the next fan approached the table. Only a few more hours to go...

The line had decreased drastically a couple hours later. By that time, he was exhausted. He couldn't wait to get home and spend some time with his family, maybe even call Beckett.

As if on cue, his phone rang. All his exhaustion seemed to melt away. It was Beckett, and whether she was calling to say hi or for a murder didn't matter. He was just happy to hear from her.

Murder it was. He glanced at Gina and Paula for permission before shrugging on his coat when permission was granted. He scribbled the address onto a napkin from lunch despite his cramping hand and waved goodbye to everyone there as he ended the call. The air was chilly, causing him to shiver as he hailed a cab. Coffee was definitely in order.

He mused over his thoughts as the cab drove to his normal coffee shop. The most recent game download onto his phone currently kept him occupied. A scrap of paper caught his eye when it fell out of his pocket, but he thought nothing of it. After all, there was a case to investigate.


	2. The Mysterious Door

**A/N: I am honestly not sure about this one. It's just case details, so it's a short chapter. I promise it'll get better and more interesting after this, so just bear with me. I am now setting my update days on either Fridays or Saturdays, but if I don't update on those days, I'll try to update on the following Wednesday. School is pretty hectic right now, so please forgive me if I don't update frequently. I'll do my best because I am really excited to get to the fun part. Anyway, enjoy, and thanks again for the lovely reviews and for giving this story a chance!**

**Chapter 2**

The duo walked towards the apartment building in comfortable silence at first, sipping their warm coffees to fight off the chill of the evening air. They briefly engaged in small talk about the usual family and work-namely his daughter and latest book. A small smile grazed Beckett's face, partially due to the good coffee and company.

They finally reached the crime scene, and Beckett immediately entered into detective mode. Castle briefly noticed the unique front door of apartment number 205 with black cursive phrases written on the yellow background before following Beckett inside.

The apartment itself was tastefully decorated in dark colors and well kept. Not many personal effects like photographs were present suggesting whoever owned the apartment kept to themselves and probably lived alone. The large windows in the living room offered a beautiful view of the city.

The victim was by the coffee table in said living room. Her honey curls paired with striking blue eyes gave her an almost angelic aura. "What've we got, Lanie?" Beckett ask, already doing her own scan of the apartment. "Kimberly Logan, 19. Time of death is somewhere between 3 and 5 PM today. Cause of death seems to be asphyxiation," Lanie replied, looking up from her clipboard.

"Any idea what caused the asphyxiation?" Beckett asked. "There's no abrasions around the neck and no puncture wounds, so I'll have to get her back to the lab to give you a more thorough COD."

"Thanks, Lanie," Beckett turned just as Esposito and Ryan walked up. "A neighbor named Miles Peterson, art student, found her around 6. He and Kimberly were friends, and he came to see if she was up for a movie after he got back from school. He said Kim typically kept to herself and didn't have many friends, but she did have a boyfriend named Henry Lance. Kim moved to the city a few months ago from Boston and didn't mention family to Miles."

"Okay, Ryan, check the surveillance cameras to see if anyone went into the apartment around our time of death window. Esposito, see if any of the neighbors remember seeing anyone visit Kimberly or witness her arguing with someone. Castle and I will talk to Lance. Maybe he knew of any problems Kim was having that could've gotten her killed," Beckett said.

"You got it, Boss," they both said before turning to do their tasks. Beckett was about to say something to Castle when she noticed he wasn't beside her. She scanned the room and found him in the office.

"What are you doing?" she asked after watching him look through the room for a moment. She startled him a little, but he quickly recovered. "The painting is slightly off centered," he said, pointing to the one he was talking about. "And?" she asked.

"And why would a woman whose apartment is immaculate have a painting not perfectly aligned with the others?" he pointed out. She quirked an eyebrow, a gesture to get to the point. "Maybe she's hiding something?" he suggested, carefully moving the painting with his glove-cladded hands.

At first, he noticed nothing out of the ordinary and was about to put the painting back dejectedly when he noticed a slight difference in the wall. He carefully carved the outline out with the letter opener on the desk to reveal a safe.

"Not bad. Now, we just need to figure out the combination. Maybe Lance knows. CSU can take it from here until we find out more about the safe. For now, let's head back to the precinct," Beckett said. "Right," Castle said, carefully setting down the painting and taking his coffee mug. The duo was soon headed to the precinct in Beckett's car with Castle annoying Beckett by constantly changing the radio station. Just another normal day, another ordinary case…


	3. A Typical Case

**A/N: Originally I had planned to update over my Thanksgiving break, but alas I was busy. But, as promised, I will update today (Wednesday). I will try to update Friday or Saturday, but if not, expect another update on Wednesday. I'm sorry for all these short chapters, but I have to get through case details and build up to the crossover part. I promise after it crosses over that chapters will be longer because I'll have more to work with. Just wait a little more guys! **** This chapter is dedicated to my sister, Hannah, who went through surgeries these past few days. Feel better soon, Sis!**

**Chapter 3**

Henry Lance looked younger than his 22 years with his baby face and soft brown hair swept over his forehead. His light brown eyes followed Beckett as she sat across from him in the conference room, Castle closely following her. Lance was wearing a suit and tie, reminding her of a little kid trying on his dad's suit.

"Mr. Lance, my name is Detective Kate Beckett. This is my partner, Mr. Castle," Beckett introduced, looking down at her leather folder. "Is this about Kim?" Lance asked nervously.

The duo looked at him, surprised. Beckett wrote a brief notation of Lance's reaction. "You knew your girlfriend was murdered?" she asked.

"No…I wasn't sure. I had the suspicion when they picked me up at my work…" Lance said, grief and dread filling his eyes. "Do you know of anyone who might've wanted to hurt her? Something she was involved in?" Beckett asked.

"I don't know any names, but I have noticed that something was bothering her. I tried to ask her about it, but she kept shrugging it off…And now she's dead…" he said, looking down at his hands.

"How long have you two been dating?" Castle asked. "About a year. We met in Boston and moved here about five months ago. She insisted on having her own place, so I bought an apartment in Chelsea. She was supposed to come over tonight after my shift…"Lance trailed off and paused, as if to take a moment to keep it together.

"Mr. Lance, I have to ask, where were you between 3 and 5 PM today?" Beckett asked after making more notations. "I was at my job, working my shift," he answered, fiddling with his tie. Beckett made a note to have one of the boys check his alibi just in case.

"One last question. Did you see anyone suspicious hanging around Kim? Any suspicious phone calls, maybe from a blocked number? That sort of thing?" Beckett asked.

"Now that you mention it, she was getting phone calls at odd hours. She always seemed upset after each call but shrugged it off…"

"Thank you for your time, Mr. Lance. We'll call you if we need anything else," Beckett concluded. "Of course. Anything you need," Mr. Lance stood, shaking both their hands.

(~)

A fresh cup of coffee in her blue ceramic mug was placed beside her, followed by her writer sitting in the seat beside her desk. She offered him a small smile as a thanks before focusing on the murder board again.

"Go ahead."

"Hmm?"

"I know you're dying to spout out ridiculous theories. Go ahead."

"A young beautiful girl killed in her apartment. No entry wounds, no puncture wounds, no signs of strangulation, yet her cause of death was asphyxiation…Poison is a reasonable option, but there's no foaming around the mouth…Could be suffocation through a pillow or cloth, but CSU didn't find anything like that, ruling out that. So my theory is narrowed down to CIA operatives or ninjas suffocating her through some new technique that leaves her looking perfectly normal or….magic," Castle concluded.

"Magic? Really?" Beckett said, raising an eyebrow.

Castle shrugged, "Could be. Maybe Kim knew too much about someone with magic and was killed for it. It would explain why we found no signs of the usual methods of asphyxiation."

"No, there is a completely logical reason behind her murder that does not include magical properties. We just haven't found it yet…" Beckett trailed off, sipping her coffee and staring at the board again.

Her phone rang a moment later.

"It's Lanie. She's got something for us. And it won't be anything that has to do with magic," Beckett said with a smile, getting up and putting on her coat.

"We'll see," Castle smiled, following her to the elevator.

There's definitely going to be a perfectly logical explanation for everything. After all, there's no such thing as magic….


	4. Something Doesn't Add Up

**A/N: Wow, an update on a Saturday? What a surprise! Anyway, I should've said this earlier, but I apologize for any errors, grammatical or factual. I'm doing my best, so if there's anything I didn't write factually, feel free to point it out. Anyway, just a bit more case details before the crossover! Enjoy and hang in there!**

**Chapter 4**

"What've you got for me, Lanie?" Beckett greeted as she entered the morgue, Castle following behind her.

"Hello to you too, Kate," Lanie replied, walking away from her desk towards the table where Kimberly Logan was. The young girl looked angelic even in death, almost as if she was sleeping peacefully. She reminded Castle of his own daughter which made him a little uncomfortable. He'll text Alexis later to ease his mind.

"I finally have cause of death. It was a heart attack," Lanie reported.

"What could've caused a heart attack?" Beckett asked, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Could she have been poisoned?" Castle added.

"That's where it gets weird. There were no puncture wounds on her body, no toxins in her blood stream. I examined the contents in her stomach, and there was nothing out of the ordinary. Same thing for her lungs. She was in perfect health when she died," Lanie said.

"So she just had a heart attack for no reason?" Beckett asked.

"Looks like it. I tried to run paternity and maternity tests to see if any conditions ran in her family, but nothing came up," Lanie shrugged.

"Okay…I'll have the boys run financials and any calls she made. Maybe she contacted a relative that you can use to check family history. There has to be an explanation as to why a 19 year old girl had a heart attack…" Beckett trailed off, texting the boys her instructions.

"There's something else. CSU found a broken necklace in the apartment. I'm running tests to see if I can figure out who it belongs to."

"Thanks, Lanie," Beckett said.

"I'll let you know if I find anything else," Lanie said, concluding her report.

(~)

"A young girl dying of a heart attack with no clear cause of said heart attack…are you sure this is still a murder?" Castle asked as they drove back to the precinct.

"The person Lance mentioned and the hidden safe suggest something fishy was going on, but as for murder…I don't know. It could've been just a coincidence," Beckett replied, troubled by the information.

"There are no coincidences in murder investigations," Castle pointed out.

"Maybe her financials and cell phone records can shed some light," Beckett averted, focusing her attention on the road after swatting his hand away from the radio.

(~)

Half an hour later, they arrived back at the precinct. Esposito was the first to approach them.

"Lance's alibi checks out. His boss said he was busy waiting tables between our TOD window. None of the neighbors remember seeing anyone enter or leave her apartment today," Esposito said.

"Did you run up financials and cell phone records yet?" Beckett asked.

"Yes, Ryan did. There was nothing unusual in her financials except for one thing. Her financials go back about 30 years."

"30 years? How's that possible? She's only 19…" Beckett asked, even more puzzled.

"I don't know, but that's what it says. The same for her cell phone records. But besides that, there were several incoming calls from a blocked number for the past 3 years, more frequently these past couple of months."

"That corresponds with Lance's report of suspicious calls… How's Ryan doing with surveillance?" Beckett asked. "He's still combing through footage to see if anything pops. Tech's trying to see if they can get anything out of the blocked number, but it's a long shot."

"Did you find anything that could be connected to a relative?" she asked.

"Not yet. It's almost like she has none."

"Keep digging. If you find anyone that could be related to her, let Lanie know."

"You got it, Boss," Esposito said, going to do his task.

(~)

Castle and Beckett both added the new information to the murder board before leaning against her desk to examine it. Their now cold coffee mugs sat untouched on her desk.

"It doesn't make any sense," Beckett finally said, her eyes still locked on the board. "Our vic dies of a heart attack yet there are no signs as to what caused it. Financials and cell phone records date back to 30 years ago, but she's only 19. There's no trace of family in the system, and the only thing we have to go on is a broken locket and a blocked number…" Castle recapped, his mind going a million miles an hour trying to form a theory.

"And no one entered or left the apartment besides Lance in the morning and Kimberly throughout the day…" Beckett added.

"Sure? Maybe someone snuck by or…"

Beckett shook her head, "No, Ryan checked it twice. Just those two all day. Crazy theories are looking pretty good right now…"

Castle was quiet for a long moment, as if deep in thought before saying, "No, I've got nothing."

Beckett sighed and stood, "I think we should call it a night. There's nothing more we can do right now."

"Walk you out?" he offered, getting her coat.

She nodded and slipped into her coat, dismissing the boys. After grabbing her things, she walked towards the elevator with Castle quietly, musing over the details of the case.

Maybe tomorrow they'll find an answer that makes sense…


	5. The Locket

**A/N: I know I'm a day late, but I couldn't finish this in time for the Saturday deadline. It's finals week for me and thanks to the wonderful gift of exemptions, I only have to take 2 exams. Maybe I'll get 2-3 updates in this week, but it depends on how much free time I have. Anyway, next chapter is going to be the big reveal on what it crossover with (if you haven't guessed It by now)! I'm not really sure about this chapter, but it's a progression filler of case details. After next chapter, there will be (hopefully) longer chapters and more character development. Thanks for sticking with me! **

**Chapter 5**

The silence of the apartment followed her as she entered her apartment. It was just as she left it: neat, cold, and empty. She almost wished she had taken up Castle's offer to stay for dinner when she dropped him off, but she had insisted on being alone tonight. She went through the motions of her night routine, lost in thought.

She took a moment to stare at the photo of her parents on her jewelry box. The memory of the moment captured by the years old photograph coaxed a ghost of a smile from her lips. She reminisced briefly before opening the box. Her father's watch was gently placed in its usual spot, and her mother's ring found its way into her hand. She toyed with the small silver ring with the single dark stone, her thoughts bittersweet before it too found its way into its usual spot. She never did get the chance to ask the story behind the unusual choice of ring…

Kate dozed off after she finished her routine, but her thoughts fought against the lull of sleep. Eventually, she stared at the ceiling as if it would provide the answers she needed.

She sighed and got up, finally giving up on sleep. Her stomach made its presence know, reminding her of the lack of food since lunch. Maybe a snack would help.

A scrap of paper fluttered off her nightstand. Curious, she turned on the lamp and picked it up. A small smile appeared on her face as she recognized what it was. Castle had a habit of doodling on her sticky notes when he wasn't playing some ridiculous game on his phone or annoying her. She scolded him for wasting her sticky notes but actually didn't mind it so much. It was just one of his many little quirks that grew on her. This one in particular was a stick figure Ryan and Esposito arguing over who gets the last donut.

Maybe she should call him…No. That would be approaching that carefully constructed line between them. But he did tell her she could call him any time after the nightmares…

Okay, she won't call him. She'll shoot him a text. That way she won't wake him up in case he's asleep. Just a totally platonic text to a friend…at 2 in the morning…

She unlocked her phone and found his contact, her thumbs poised and ready to type. She hesitated, debating on what she should say.

Before she had the chance to type a single letter, an incoming text startled her. It was from Castle…

_Kate? I'm bored… :(_

**So you decided to text me? What if I had been asleep?**

_I'm sorry if I woke you up. I'll just leave you alone…_

Kate chuckled softly. **Relax, I was awake. You're so easy…**

_Meanie. :( Case bothering you too?_

**Yeah… Any crazy theories yet?**

_No. I've just been playing Angry Birds for the past hour._

They continued the conversation via text for a few more minutes before he called her. They originally talked about the case, trying to build theory together as they often did, but then the conversation moved to anything and everything. Well, everything but the forbidden topic that was _**them**_. That line of conversation was never approached by either of them for fear of breaking the careful balancing act that was their relationship. They danced around each other on thin ice. One wrong step, and everything could fall apart.

His husky voice slowly lured her into sleep's embrace. Rick called her name a few times, a small smile forming on his face upon realizing that she'd fallen asleep. He gently placed his phone on his nightstand after ending the call and settled in his bed again, closing his eyes. He knew they won't discuss this tomorrow-actually, later this morning-but at least they had another moment he could file away to remember later. It was just how they worked, and he was okay with it…for now.

(~)

Beckett's alarm went off a few hours later, violently ripping her away from a wonderful dream with its excruciating blare. Right, work. Case.

She grumpily got ready for work and headed to the precinct once she was ready. Her mood instantly shifted when Castle offered her a large mug of coffee. She offered a smile hidden by the cup as a thank you, taking a long sip of the delicious source of caffeine. He nodded in response before taking a sip of his own coffee.

"Yo Beckett, we might've just gotten a break," Esposito called from his desk, ending the moment. "What did you find?" she asked, going back to business mode.

"Remember that locket she had? It had an inscription on it that Lanie was able to figure out," Esposito reported, handing her a blown up picture of the locket with a written clarification of the inscription. It read:

My heart was yours from the moment we met. –Asher

"The inscription seems very personal and the locket looks old. Could it have belonged to a relative?" Beckett asked.

Esposito shook his head, "There's a faded picture inside of it. Tech was only able to identify Kimberly Logan in the picture. It's hers."

Finally, a lead to go on. Beckett added the details about the locket to the murder board. "Could Kimberly be cheating on Henry with this mysterious Asher?" Castle asked. "That would explain the phone calls and why she was acting weird," Becket replied. "Maybe Henry found out," Castle said. "The only thing that doesn't fit is how did he kill her? He doesn't strike me as a criminal mastermind," Beckett asked.

"I think I might have the answer to that. You know that neighbor, Miles Peterson? Turns out his brother is a med student at NYU. Henry works with him at the restaurant and lives in the same building with him. He could've easily gotten an untraceable substance to kill Kim," Ryan piped in. "And his alibi fell apart. Henry took a 30 minute break between 3:30 and 4 PM yesterday," Esposito added.

"That's right in our time window and plenty of time to go to the apartment to kill Kimberly. Let's go pick him up," Beckett said. Finally, a break in the case. And it had nothing to do with magic…


	6. The Scrap of Paper

**Chapter 6**

There was a shift to another familiar dance, one where they fell into the roles of good cop and bad cop respectively. Beckett always played Bad Cop, aggressive and persistent to get their suspect to reveal crucial pieces of informations or confessions. Castle was Good Cop, the calming voice stating facts, a good contrast that worked well for both of them.

In this case, their dance fell upon Henry Lance. The young boy was a nervous mess in his seat, as if already knowing of the inevitable.

"You lied to me Mr. Lance," Beckett started as soon as Castle was seated. "What?" the boy asked nervously. "According to your friend Christie Sanders, you left work at 3:30 and didn't come back until 4," Castle stated, looking down at Beckett's notes.

"Okay…I might've lied about work…but that doesn't mean I killed her!" Lance admitted, his voice rising. "Then what were you doing for 30 minutes? Taking a long walk?" Beckett asked, pausing from pacing to look at Lance. He hesitated answering.

"We found this in your locker at work. Care to explain?" Castle asked, pushing the sealed evidence bad with an empty medicine bottle inside. "That's not mine," Lance said, eyeing the bottle in confusion.

"We know. It belongs to the hospital your friend Charlie Peterson works at. He said you came to see him and noticed a bottle missing from the supply as he took inventory," Beckett added.

"I didn't take it! I haven't seen Charlie since our Call of Duty game last week!" Lance insisted. "Not according to the security cameras in the hospital. It shows you talking to Charlie right around the time he said you visited him, and the cameras weren't tampered with," Beckett said, slapping the photograph in front of Lance.

Lance looked down at the photo, stuttering out phrase along the lines of insisting he was innocent and that it wasn't him in the photograph. "Who's Asher?" Beckett asked next.

"I don't know an Asher," Lance said, the change of subject surprising him. "Really? You don't know the man who gave her the locket?" Beckett asked. "What locket? What are you talking about?" Lance asked, even more confused than before.

"We found a broken locket in her apartment. We were only able to identify her in the picture inside, but the locket was from someone named Asher," Castle reported, showing Lance the enlarged photo of the locket's inscription.

Lance looked down at the locket, confusion etched in his face. This looked familiar…no, it felt familiar. Why? He's never seen it before today…right?

"Did you find out who Asher was? Did you find out she was cheating on you? Is that why you killed her?" Beckett asked, snapping Lance out of his inner turmoil.

"What? No!" Lance protested.

Beckett continued to bombard him with questions, hoping to get him riled up enough to confess something. Lance unfortunately gave up fighting back, "I'm not saying anything else without a lawyer."

(~)

Beckett closed the door to the observation room. "Surveillance caught Lance going into her apartment in the time he took his break," Ryan informed her, handing over the file. "He's lawyered up, but we've got enough to book him," Beckett replied, looking down at the file before closing it.

Castle remained silent, deep in thought as he looked at Lance through the mirror. "What?" Beckett asked, noticing his silence. "The only thing that bugs me is how did he do it? There were no unknown substances in her body, and she didn't consume anything in the hours of her supposed death," he said, looking at her.

"Lanie said the substance in the bottle was usually untraceable in most autopsies. It's known to cause a heart attack that looks like natural causes," Beckett answered him. "But there were no puncture marks on her body. How did he do it?" he asked again.

Beckett had no answer for that, confusion etched in her face again. She noticed a piece of paper sticking out of Castle's pocket. "What's that?" she asked.

He looked down and pulled out the paper, "It's nothing important. Just something I've had in my pocket…"

"What?" she asked again, noticing that he'd trailed off.

"I've seen this before," he simply said, heading out of the observation room. "Where? Castle, you're not making any sense," Beckett asked, following him out and noticing he was going through the evidence box from Kimberly's apartment.

He ignored her and kept searching, pulling out what he was looking for moments later. It was a similar ripped piece of stationary with a gold trim. He got the tweezers from one of her drawers and pulled the paper out of the bag before aligning his piece with it. It was a perfect match.

"How is that possible? Were you tampering with evidence again?" Beckett asked, eyeing him suspiciously. "No, I found my half in my pocket on my way to the crime scene," he said, studying the scribbles on the joined halves.

"Are those?"

"Numbers, yes. And I think I know what they're for."

(~)

"How do you know this will work? It could just be a random string of numbers," Beckett asked as she followed Castle through Kimberly's apartment.

"I have a gut feeling that I'm right, and my gut is never wrong," Castle replied, moving the painting in her office. Beckett gave him one of her infamous looks. "Okay, it's occasionally wrong, but it's not this time," he insisted. Beckett continued giving him the look. "Look, can we try it at least? If it's just a random string of numbers, then we can leave," Castle asked.

Beckett waved her hand as if to say get on with it. Castle offered her a grateful smile before entering the numbers into the safe. _1983_.

Nothing happened. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He thought for sure that he was right…

Beckett was just about to say they should leave when the lock clicked. Castle glanced at her for a moment before pulling the handle of the safe. It opened.

He made sure his gloves were on securely before he reached inside, pulling out the contents.

It was a…book. A large leather brown book with the pages laced inside. It looked old, the pages starting to yellow. The title was etched in gold on the cover, reading _Once Upon a Time_. He turned it to inspect the spine but couldn't quite make out the words.

"What was she doing hiding a book in a safe?" Beckett asked. Castle had opened to the first page, and something fell and fluttered to the floor. He picked it up and examined it.

"I don't know, but I think I know where we might find some answers," he said, holding out the object to her.

It was a postcard with the phrase _**Broken**_written in neat cursive. On the other side showed their destination, the key to their investigation, and eventually the revealer of secrets.

**Storybrooke, Maine.**


	7. Welcome to Storybrooke

**A/N: Now that the crossover is clear to everyone, the real fun begins. Chapters will (hopefully) be longer. A quick note that large chunks of text in italics will usually be either Castle reading from the storybook or a flashback. Anyway, that's it for me. Happy New Year and enjoy!**

**Chapter 7**

_A terrible scream echoed throughout the small cottage, fading into the roar of the storm. A young girl rushed into the master bedroom, hands full of towels. The lady of the house was on the bed, clutching her husband's hand tightly as she recovered from her recent push. The doctor aided her in her delivery while her husband carefully wiped her forehead and whispered encouraging thoughts._

_ She could do this. She's survived far worse as the wife of a knight, but no pain could ever match the one that their unborn child was inflicting. One more push, and then it'll be over._

_ She let out a bloodcurdling scream that was met by the child's cries just as a bolt of lightning struck. It was a boy, a son. _

_ As she stared at her screaming son, all the pain she'd felt seemed to melt away. Her mother had told her about this feeling, seeing your child for the first time. Her husband carefully tucked a strand of her beautiful red hair behind her ear, still in awe of the boy._

_ The doctor carefully cleaned the infant and dressed him in the clothes they'd laid out on the dresser and wrapped him in the blanket her mother had made. He smiled as he gently placed the clean child in her arms, stepping back to give the family a moment._

_ Ella smiled down at the squirming baby. He looked so much like his father, even had his soft brown hair. Maybe he'll have her blue eyes…_

_ "What's his name, my lady?" the young girl, Alice, asked. _

_ "Augustus," Ella replied. "His name is Augustus."_

"I still can't believe you brought that with you," Beckett said after Castle finished reading. "How could I not? There could be clues in here as to who her killer is," Castle replied, flipping through the pages.

"It looks like just a bunch of fairytales to me," she said. "It started with the birth of a boy named Augustus. My guess is that this book is about him. The only question is, who is Augustus?" he asked.

"Does that book say who murdered her because if it doesn't, it's evidence and belongs at the precinct," she stated, making a turn.

"No, but I bet if we keep reading-" Castle was cut off when he felt a burning sensation in his hand. He immediately dropped the book.

"You okay?" she asked, glancing over at him. "Yeah, fine," he lied, hiding the burn from her and picking up the book. That was weird. He was just flipping through the pages…Did the book burn him? Was this a revenge of the trees or something?

Whatever it was, it made him think maybe reading ahead was a bad idea. "Anyway, what do you know about Storybrooke, Maine?" he asked, putting the book in his messenger bag.

"Not much. It's a quiet little town, no tourism that I know of," Beckett reported. "It's always the quiet little towns that are the freakiest," he mumbled.

She smiled and laughed, "I think you've been watching too many horror films." "That may be true, but my gut's telling me there's more to the town than meets the eye. Why would Kim go to the trouble of locking a storybook with that postcard in her safe if there wasn't something there that she wanted us to find?" he pointed out.

"How did you know that piece of paper in your pocket would match?" she asked curiously. "I don't know. I just had a feeling and went with it," he answered honestly, confused on that matter himself.

"Hopefully this town can give us some answers, and soon," she said, taking a sip of her cooling coffee. "Want me to read more?" he asked, not bothering to hide the eagerness in his voice. She hid her small smile, knowing he wanted to know the rest of the story, "Sure, why not. It'll pass the time."

_"Augustus!" Ella called from the yard once again. Where was that idiot boy of hers? It was almost time for the evening meal, and he still hadn't returned._

_ "Five more minutes Mama!" he called back. He was playing with that boy again. That couldn't be good. Where there's trouble, those two were always in the middle of it. He was batting those gorgeous blue eyes of his again. It gave him the aura of innocence and made people's hearts melt, a fact that he unfortunately knew and wielded. _

_ "No, Augustus. Come inside now and wash up for supper. Your father will be home soon," she replied sternly. That immediately perked Augustus up, "Is he bringing-" "Yes, and he won't give it to you unless you come inside," Ella smiled, knowing that he'd listen._

_ Sure enough, the young boy quickly said goodbye to his friend and raced inside. His Papa promised to bring him back something from his trip. He quickly washed up and changed out of his dirty clothes after helping his mother bring in some firewood. _

_ Ella smiled as she saw her soon waiting for his father impatiently. Thomas always made those promises to help make his departure a little easier on their son. It was never easy while he was away, but she managed with the help of Alice and Bevis. _

_ Seeing Augustus' face while listening to his father's stories was worth it as well. Everything was just more enjoyable through a child's eyes, and her son's happiness was all she cared about._

_ She heard the familiar clopping of hooves, signaling Thomas' arrival. Augustus must have recognized it too because he was out of his chair and out the door before she could even say a word. She smiled to herself and shook her head. Nothing could stop that boy from seeing his Papa._

_ Augustus raced into the barn where Bevis was helping his father dismount from his horse. "Papa!" he said in delight, racing into his father's arms once he was standing. Thomas hid the small grimace as he gladly embraced his son._

_ "How's my boy doing? Didn't give your mother too much trouble hopefully," he smiled, looking down at the young boy. He immediately shook his head, impatiently waiting for his father to hurry. _

_ "Alright, let's go inside. After dinner, I'll give you your surprise," Thomas smiled, hoisting his bag over his shoulder after removing the saddle off of his horse, Storm. The young boy raced back inside, sitting down at the table._

_ Augustus was polite during dinner, but as soon as it was over, his ball of energy returned. Thomas laughed and went to go get his bag._

_ He pulled out a small bow and arrow set, presenting it to his son. "Really?" Augustus asked in awe, looking up at his father. _

_ Thomas nodded, "I had the local carpenter carve them for you. He's supposed to be the best in the kingdom. I think it's about time I start teaching you."_

_ "Thanks Papa," Augustus smiled, hugging his father and taking the bow and arrows._

_ Later that evening once their son was asleep, Ella and Thomas talked quietly in their bedroom. Ella tended to her husband's healing wound. _

_ "The wars are getting worse, aren't they?" she asked. _

_ "Yes. The ogres are pushing further into our territories. We lost a good dozen men in the last raid," he told her, wincing. _

_ "There's something else," she said, noticing something was bothering him._

_ "If they keep pushing further inland like they are now, I don't want you two here when it happens. A man owes me a favor and can provide travel out of the kingdom. I'll settle you two in a cottage before returning with him," he told her._

_ Ella looked at her husband in shock. Before she could say anything, he added, "We don't have to leave now. We might have a chance at defeating the ogres. This plan is a last resort plan. Starting packing just in case, but don't let Augustus know. I don't want to worry him."_

_ Ella was about to protest but knew he was right. She nodded, "Okay, but promise me you'll do everything you can to come with us." Thomas took her small hand in his, "I promise."_

"Ogres war?" Beckett asked curiously. "It's obviously a war with ogres," he shrugged. "So this Thomas guy and a bunch of other knights are fighting Shrek?" she asked.

"Not necessarily Shrek but definitely his kind. And how do you know about Shrek?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "My cousin was kids, and they made me watch the movies with them," she replied. "So there are more Becketts!" he grinned.

She rolled her eyes and looked ahead. "Looks like we're here."

Castle closed the book and looked at the road. There was a sign that read **Welcome to Storybrooke**. After they drove past the sign, a town appeared in place of the forest. It looked like any stereotypical small town with little shops and houses here and there. He saw the clock tower from the postcard where the library was, and people were milling around the streets.

He caught a few suspicious looks and even a few shocked ones as they passed.

"Where to now?" he asked, glancing over at his partner.

"The sheriff station. Hopefully they can shed some insight on our case," she replied.

Castle nodded and looked out the window. He still had that feeling in his stomach. This town was hiding something. He felt it in the way the people looked at them.

And this book… He couldn't explain it, but he felt like the stories sounded familiar. Maybe he read it during his many times in the New York Public Library? But why did this book burn him while he was flipping through the pages?

Those questions had to be pushed aside as they approached the sheriff's station. Beckett parked her Crown Victoria and nodded for him to follow. Time to meet the sheriff.


	8. Sheriff Swan

**A/N: Hey guys, I'm back with another chapter. I'll have to admit, it kinda sucks. I apologize, but this is how it wanted to be written. I promise next chapter will be a little better, so just hang in there. This is more of a filler. I apologize to the Oncers if I got any of the characters wrong, but I will write them better in the chapters to come. Anyway, try to enjoy, and a big congrats to Stana, Nathan, and Castle for winning their respective categories in the PCAs. **

**Chapter 8**

Emma Swan was relieved. Everything in Storybrooke had been normal for the past few months-well, as normal as a town full of fairytale characters can get. No second curse to battle, no evil villain to vanquish. Just a normal, quiet day. She almost believed that her savior title could finally take a back seat.

"Sheriff Swan?"

Emma turned her head at the sound of her name, surprised to see a man and a woman. It wouldn't be a surprise if this was any other town, but strangers don't come to Storybrooke.

This can't be good.

"Yes, can I help you?" Emma asked, plastering on a fake smile.

"My name is Detective Kate Beckett, NYPD. This is my partner, Rick Castle. I was wondering if you'd help me with a case I'm working on," the woman introduced.

"Of course. What do you need to know?" Emma asked, gesturing to the seats in front of her desk.

Beckett smiled internally, glad that the sheriff was being cooperative. She sat down and opened her leather folder, pulling out the mug shot of Kimberly Logan. "Do you know this girl?"

Emma hid her surprise well. Why was a detective from New York asking about her?

"I didn't know her personally, but yes, I recognize her. Why?" Emma answered.

"She was found murdered in her apartment in New York," Beckett explained, looking for her next photo.

"Murdered?"

"Yes, heart attack. Do you know who he is?" Beckett asked, showing her the photo of Henry Lance.

"Her boyfriend. They've been together for a while," Emma replied, making mental notes herself.

"When was the last time you saw either of them?" Castle asked.

"About 5 months ago."

That coincided with Kimberley's move from Boston. "Did either of them seem distressed or worried?" Beckett asked.

Emma shook her head, "No, they seemed happy, but if you want a more recent report, I'm afraid I'm not the person to ask."

"Was there anyone who kept in touch with her?" Castle asked.

"Emma, are you busy? I was wondering if you'd like to-"

Emma cut off her mother with a look, gesturing to the couple sitting at her desk. Of course her parents had to stop by with her little brother. But Detective Beckett didn't need to know that.

"I'm sorry, manners. I'm Richard Castle, and this is Detective Kate Beckett. Your names are?" Castle asked, breaking the ice and offering out his hand with one of his charming smiles.

"Uh, this is Mary Margaret Blanchard and David Nolan," Emma introduced, the use of their Storybrooke names a warning to the parents.

Snow and Charming both greeted the detective and her partner. "And who's this little guy?" Castle asked, smiling at the baby in Snow's arms.

"His name is Neal," Snow replied, smiling but with caution in her eyes.

"If you don't mind, can I ask the two of you a few questions?" Beckett asked, bringing the attention back to the interview.

Snow and Charming eyed each other, hesitant to agree. "I can take Neal for a minute if you want. I have a daughter of my own back in New York, so I know what I'm doing," Castle offered, hoping to ease the tension.

The Charming's were about to protest when Beckett said, "It's okay. If he does anything to your baby, I'll shoot him myself. Unless Emma wants to look after the baby?"

"No, it's fine. Go ahead," Emma said, giving her parents a look to just do with it. Castle smiled and gently took Neal into his arms, carrying him over to the chairs near the door.

"Do you know Kimberly Logan and Henry Lance?" Beckett asked once Castle was out of the room.

"Who?" Snow asked, not recognizing the names.

Beckett showed them the photos for clarification. A wave of recognition went over the Charming's. "She was a….friend of mine, and he a friend of David," Snow said carefully.

"Did she contact you recently?" Beckett asked.

"A few weeks ago, she called me. Said something wasn't adding up. Didn't give much more details than that," Snow said.

"And when she called you, did she sound stressed or worried?" Beckett asked.

Snow shook her head, "She sounded normal."

Beckett had a feeling she wasn't going to get much more out of this interview, so she took the photos back and placed them in her folder. "Thank you for your time. I hope you don't mind if I stick around to tie up some loose ends?" Beckett stated more than asked.

"No, not at all. Wouldn't want to keep you from your families in New York," Emma smiled.

Beckett nodded before saying her goodbyes. Castle handed Neal back who had fallen asleep before following Beckett back to her cruiser.

(~)

"Who are they?" Snow asked once they were gone.

"A homicide detective from New York and her partner who I think is an author," Emma replied.

"The bigger question is, how did they get to Storybrooke? Isn't the town invisible to the outside world?" Charming asked.

"I don't know. Just as I was thinking everything was getting back to normal… Anyway, what do you two really know?" Emma asked, keeping her voice in a hushed tone in case the detective was still within earshot.

"The girl was named Angela. She was my messenger back in our world," Snow explained.

"And the boy was my stable boy. Asher. He came with me after I escaped King George's palace. He and Angela really took a liking to each other," Charming added.

"You said Angela was your messenger. Was she delivering something for you in New York?" Emma asked.

"Not for me, but I know she said she was going to take a few days off. I didn't know she crossed the town line."

"That explains why she went by her Storybrooke name. I'll see if I can get the files from New York. A guy owes me a favor anyway. And don't make a huge fuss about it. We don't need the town worrying and tipping them off. If the murder was caused by magic, we need to find out first before they do. And I'll see what I can find out about those two," Emma instructed.

(~)

"Did something seem off about them?" Castle asked once they were back in the car. "They did seem a little tense, but then again, not many people come to Storybrooke," Beckett replied.

"No, it was like they were hiding something. Didn't you notice how Mary Margaret chose her words carefully?"

"Yes, Castle, I noticed, but I can't arrest them for hiding something. I also noticed how eager they were to get us out of their little town," Beckett added, pulling out her phone.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Texting Ryan. Let's see if their phone numbers match the ones Kim was receiving. And maybe a record of history for reference," Beckett replied, texting her requests.

"There's a diner nearby. What do you say about getting something to eat and seeing what we can dig up?" Castle suggested.

"Good idea. Maybe we can find out about that book and postcard too," Beckett said, starting her car and heading towards the diner.

Castle nodded and stayed quiet, looking down at the leather-bound book in her lap. He still felt something was off about it. He thought nothing of it while they were driving here, but as they got closer to the town, that feeling grew. What was it about this book that was so special?


	9. Granny's

**A/N: Sorry for the late update. School got in the way, and my Microsoft expired. I'm sorry if it's a little OOC and for any historically incorrect elements. I'm doing my best with research, but it's not perfect. I hope you're enjoying Augustus' story as much as I enjoy writing it! More on that next chapter, but for now, onto the story! :)**

**Chapter 9**

"_Augustus, it's time to go!"_

_ "Five more minutes, Mama!"_

_ The seven year old boy knew he was starting to make his mother angry, but he wanted to spend as much time with his friend before he really had to leave. He was leaving behind his best friend, his partner in crime. _

_ "Gus, wait!"_

_ Gus' blue eyes darted back to his friend, noticing the clean handkerchief in his hand._

_ "It's a...present," the young blonde explained, answering Gus' confused expression. The smaller boy's cheeks were colored in embarrassment._

_ Gus' eyes lit up, and he carefully took the present from his friend's unwrapped the crisp cloth to reveal….a watch._

_ "Your Papa's watch. I remember you broke it when we were playing by the stream. I saved up to have it fixed," his friend explained, shifting on the balls of his feet as he stared down at the ground._

_ A big grin stretched across Gus' face, and it wasn't because of the gift. _

_ While Gus' family lived comfortably thanks to his father's knighthood, his friend's family did not. They were poor farmers, the blonde himself a shepherd boy. What little they made went towards surviving until next harvest, so there was very little room to indulge in luxuries._

_ Gus hugged the smaller boy, expressing his gratitude._

_ "Augustus!"_

_ "Coming, Mama!" _

_ Gus turned back to his friend, neatly folding the handkerchief and placing the present in his pocket._

_ "Goodbye, David," he said before reluctantly running off to his mother._

_(~)_

_ Ella couldn't help the small smile that appeared on her face. Her son's pure amazement managed to calm her anxiety, just for a moment. _

_ Augustus' eyes were filled with awe at the sight of the ship. "Are we really going on the ship, Mama?" he asked, looking up at his mother. Ella smiled and nodded, squeezing her son's hand and fixing his brown coat collar._

_ Soon Thomas was at their side, having already helped load their trunks onto the ship. He picked up his son and chuckled softly at the ball of energy radiating off of him. "Ready to go?" he asked, ruffling his son's hair. Gus nodded, barely containing his excitement. Thomas smiled and took Ella's hand before leading them onboard. _

_(~)_

"What's that?"

Castle jumped slightly, spilling his coffee on his shirt but hiding the book under his jacket. Seems he was too caught up in the story...

"I'm sorry, Sir. I didn't mean to scare you."

The voice belonged to a young boy, maybe in his early teens. He was wearing a black winter coat and a striped scarf.

"No, it's my fault. I wasn't paying attention," Castle said, accepting the towel the waitress brought.

"There's a laundry room in the back," the waitress told him.

(~)

"I'm Henry, by the way."

Castle looked up from his phone, locking it and putting it in his pocket. "Rick."

"What's your real name?" Henry asked.

"Richard Castle?" he answered, confused at the odd question.

"You're not from around here, are you?" Henry asked after a beat.

"No, I'm here with Detective Beckett from New York," Castle explained.

"That explains it. Mom was talking about the two of you when I stopped by," Henry smiled.

"So you're the sheriff's kid. That explains a lot," Castle concluded, taking his shirt out of the washer and throwing it into the dryer.

"Oh really?" Henry asked, offering him a glass of water.

Castle nodded, taking a sip. "You probably came here to interrogate me, curious as to why strangers are in your quiet little town. It's written all over your face."

Henry shrugged, "We don't get many tourists here."

"I've noticed. So what is it about Storybrooke that repels tourists? It's certainly not the food. The burgers are delicious."

Henry smiled, "Yeah, Granny makes the best."

"I'm guessing you don't have many strange occurrences happen in this town, so you like to jump at the opportunity to investigate anything that stops by which is why you're here talking to the stranger who spilled coffee on his shirt. Since you're so eager to investigate, why don't you help with ours?" Castle offered.

Henry thought about it for a moment, unsure of whether or not to say yes. Part of him was wary of the stranger as anyone should be, but for some reason, he trusted him. Maybe he could use this as a way to figure out who he really was.

"Sure. What do you want to know?" Henry agreed, sitting on a nearby chair.

"Do you know these two?" Castle asked, showing Henry a picture of the two mugshots of

Henry Lance and Kimberly Logan.

"I can't say that I do. Why?" Henry answered after looking at the pictures closely. "We're investigating a murder, and it seems to have a connection to this town," Castle explained.

"I'm sorry. I don't know them," Henry stated again.

Castle was about to ask something else when his phone chimed. Beckett was wondering

where he was. "Sorry Kid, but I gotta go. If you find out anything, would you give me a call?" Castle asked, pulling out a business card from his wallet and handing it to the boy after writing his cell phone number on the back.

At Henry's nodded, Castle shrugged on his flannel over the black undershirt he was wearing, hurriedly buttoning it up after receiving a scary text from Beckett. He left the laundry room with such a haste that he forgot his coat.

Henry picked it up and was about to return it to him when he noticed a familiar brown book underneath it. His eyes widened, tempted to take the book and just hand back the jacket, but he knew the stranger would notice. He made a note to check his drawer just in case before taking both jacket and book back to Granny's.

(~)

"Where the hell have you been?" Beckett asked angrily when he got back to his booth. "Sorry, I had a little accident with my coffee and was cleaning my shirt. Fry?" he asked, offering one from his plate.

"No thanks. I already ate," she said, gesturing for them to sit down. "So, anything?" she asked in a hushed tone, picking at her own fries.

"As a matter of fact, I met the sheriff's kid. He didn't know the vic, but he confirmed my suspicions-"

"Wait, you took pictures of the vic? And showed it to a kid?" Beckett asked angrily.

"Yes, but I did it for a reason. The kid's resourceful, likes to investigate strange things. That's why he talked to me. It was kinda cute actually, him trying to interrogate me…"

"Yeah, and he's the sheriff's kid. If we want to stay on Sheriff Swan's good side, talking to her kid is not a good idea. And staying on her good side means she's cooperative," Beckett pointed out.

"Mr. Castle? You left your jacket."

Both the writer and detective looked over. "Thanks, Kid," Castle said, taking the jacket and thankful that the book was there as well. He would never hear the end of it if he lost evidence.

His mood shifted to a suspicious one when he felt Henry's reluctance to let the book go. He kept his expression neutral but bookmarked the reaction as a red flag.

"Ah, where are my manners? This is Detective Beckett," Castle introduced after taking the coat and book.

"Nice to meet you. I really have to go. Mom will be wondering where I am," Henry said before leaving in a subtle haste almost as if he couldn't get out of there fast enough.

Beckett looked back at him, having noticed the hasty departure herself.

"Okay, maybe your theory isn't so far fetched…"

"See? This town is hiding something, something they don't want the outside world to know. Kimberly Logan probably found out what and was killed for it," Castle concluded.

"Okay, we'll investigate the town a little more. But back in New York. We promised Sheriff Swan that we were on our way, and we don't want to raise suspicion," Beckett said.

Castle nodded and left a few bills on the table, shrugging on his coat and hiding the book under there as well. He followed Beckett back to her Crown Victoria, theories filling his thoughts.

If only they knew…


End file.
